


We're Strangers Still

by Meduseld



Category: Common Law (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Family Issues, Gen, Mental Health Issues, OCD, Partnership, Pre-series technically, The email that started it all, Wes deals with his mother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 15:02:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11255358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meduseld/pseuds/Meduseld
Summary: Wes gets an email from his mother. He doesn't quite take it well.





	We're Strangers Still

Wes Mitchell stands in the dark and clicks his pen exactly twenty-one times then taps it against his thigh three times.

He sighs deep, tries- but no and he’s clicking again.

There’s a blinking notification on his phone, light blue LED, it’s an email.

It’s from his mother.

He keeps clicking because- he always closes the door before tapping the light switch, by the door, reflected in the mirror, with the heel of his hand but he can’t right now because that hand, the left is flexing and in the right, the pen.

The pen helps.

He wants to say always, but that’s not true.

It’s not normally this exact but he’s so- right now- he gives himself a limit, _‘ok, twenty-one, that’s enough right?’_ but he still can’t- he can feel the blinking light.

His phone is in his pocket and his mind is somewhere in the past.

Dark hallways. This one too, the first night, the deep empty because Alex was really, _really_ gone.

He sighs deep, rolls his neck, goes to try and no but- his phone goes off.

His whole body flinches, hyper focused and his heart’s jackhammering as he fumbles, pulls, picks up.

“Baby, hey!” says Travis and something like relief shoots through him.

He’s on his knees, he realizes and puts his back against the door.

“What?” calm and flat and finally, _finally_ , himself.

“Ok, so you know those tickets? Um, for the thing, right, you remember and uh-”

“I told you to check the calendar to make sure we wouldn’t be on shift and you didn’t do that and we are”

“Well yes, but, wait you already knew?! How could you do me dirty like that man!”

“Because you’re an idiot”

and they go back and forth, familiar and _easy_ and they figure out who can and _will_ swap with them because that’s just what they _do_.

"You wanna come?” Travis says and “Why, did she cancel on you?” Wes says and they have plans. It’s what they do.

The call disconnects and Wes tucks it against the hollow of his throat and hauls himself up.

He taps the meaty part of his left hand’s heel against the light and thinks well it can’t be worse than _Comic Con_ with _Travis_ and unlocks his phone screen.

**Author's Note:**

> Also Travis was always gonna ask him all along. Wes won't let himself be aware of that fact. Also Travis cosplays. Wes emphatically does not. A good time is had by all.  
> And the email situation gets way better this is the first step to ending up at 'cordial'. Like this is the literal first email that restarted contact and gets them to where Wes mentions it at therapy.


End file.
